Heard, Not Said
by XxNeonShadowsxX
Summary: What would've happened if Korra never got her bending back.


**A/N **The last episode...amazing. Words cannot describe the epicness that was that episode. :D So. Good. But this plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone; what would've happened if Korra never got her back. There's quite a bit of Makorra fluff in here, so enjoy. ^^

**Disclaimer **Unfortunately, I do not own the Legend of Korra, despite how awesome that would be.

~Aiva

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Korra hated feeling weak. She hated being helpless. And she especially hated it when there was nothing she could do about. But that was exactly the situation she found herself in now. Sitting on the edge of the iceberg, she wrapped her arms around herself, allowing one tear to trickle out. She buried her face in Naga's thick fur, the polar bear dog's presence offering only a fraction of comfort. Her tears continued to fall, and she let out muffled sobs; she just didn't know what to do.

She was the Avatar, for crying out loud. What was an Avatar without their bending? Granted, she could still airbend, but it wasn't the same as the raw courage that came from earthbending, the fiery passion that came from firebending, or the calm power that came from waterbending. It was calm and peaceful, only becoming chaotic when it needed to be. It didn't _feel _like Korra…though Korra had seemed to leave when she had lost her bending, leaving behind a shell of her former self.

Tenzin kept assuring her that she was fine, that things would somehow work out. She _wanted _to believe him, but she couldn't move past her doubt. Mako kept reminding her that he was here for her, and while it was sweet and did make her feel a tiny bit better, it didn't ease the pain of loss she was currently experiencing. No one could seem to fully fill that empty space that had been left as she lost what had made her…her.

Simply put, Korra felt like she had failed. Sure, she had saved Republic City, but Amon had still gotten away, and she had still lost her bending. When Aang had saved the world, he never lost _his _bending, or let Ozai get away. Korra pulled her face away from Naga, burying her head in her arms instead. She breathed in the familiar scent of her warm coat, noticing how much it smelled like home. She ignored the cold seeping in through her pants as she sat on the ice, just allowing herself to break down once, so she could be strong again later.

Korra shivered as a cold breeze swept over her, cutting through the thick layers of cloth she was wearing like they weren't there. She was cold, but made no move to get up; she didn't want to return to the pitying faces and empty promises that things would be okay. At the moment, she just couldn't see how things would be okay again. She heard footsteps crunching behind her, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she recognized the gait and sound as Mako's. "Go away," she mumbled, wincing at her tear-choked voice.

Mako instead sat next to her, wincing as the icy slush soaked into his pants, freezing his skin. He struggled to ignore the uncomfortable feeling, amber eyes focused firmly on the teenage girl beside him. "I said go away!" Korra snapped, looking up at him. Mako wasn't necessarily surprised to see that her blue eyes were tinted red, tears staining her cheeks. He reached up hesitantly, wiping away one stray drop with a gentle finger.

"You okay?" he asked quietly, inwardly wincing at how stupid a question that was. Of course she wasn't okay.

"I'm fine," she responded, forcing a calm note in her voice. Mako frowned. "Korra-" he began.

"I'm fine, Mako!" Korra snapped, voice turning harsh in an instant. "Now leave. Me. Alone!" Her words grew louder and louder until she ended up shouting. The silence seemed even louder as her words faded away, Mako making no move to leave. Korra's lip began to tremble, and she felt whatever semblance of control she had left start to crumble. She sucked in a deep breath, determined not to cry any more, not in front of Mako.

Mako hesitated just a second before unwrapping the red scarf from around his neck, wrapping it around Korra's instead. He tucked it in under her chin, fingers dancing across the red fabric easily, showing affection where words wouldn't do. "You looked cold," he offered as an explanation, ignoring the sudden chill of wind on his neck. Korra attempted a weak smile, one corner of her mouth twitching upwards before falling back into its sad position. She wrapped her arms even tighter around herself as a flake of snow drifted downwards, landing in her hair. Mako brushed it away carefully, though his gaze never left from her clear blue eyes.

"I know it's hard," Mako said softly, trying to offer some comfort. "But we'll get through this."

"No!" Korra burst out, hands tightening around her knees. "You don't know! You have no idea what this is like! I-I don't know what to do, Mako!" she shouted, voice breaking a bit at the end. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes, and she blinked them away, thrusting herself into Mako's waiting arms. "I just don't know," she continued, her words barely audible.

Mako wrapped his arms around her, rocking slightly back and forth as he tried to convey all of his feelings in that simple gesture. "I know what you'll do," he said suddenly, voice taking on a firm edge. Korra pulled back slightly, looking up at him questioningly. Mako continued. "You'll bounce back. Because bending or not, you're still the strongest person I know, and you won't let anything knock you down."

Korra's eyes were wide as she stared at Mako, and she began to shake her head, then stopped, deciding to accept his comment instead of denying it. "Thanks, Mako," she whispered. She snuggled herself back into his embrace, burying her face in his shirt as she tried to gain some comfort. That action spoke louder than words then. She would be okay again eventually, and even if she may not have said "I love you" back, but she didn't have to.

Some things didn't have to be said to be heard.

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**A/N **I'm listing this as complete, but if you guys want me to try and make another chapter, I can. It just depends on whether people like it or not. ;)

Reviews are greatly appreciated!


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